Common Tansy (Tanacetum vulgare) is in the Sunflowers, Daisies, Asters, and Allies family (Asteraceae). Across the U.S., iNaturalist users have logged 2,003 research-grade flowering observations of it in our sample, peaking in August.
Nationally it blooms mainly from July to September, but timing varies a lot by state and elevation — see the table below.
When to photograph Common Tansy: observations by month (U.S.)
About Common Tansy
Tansy (Tanacetum vulgare) is a perennial, herbaceous flowering plant of the aster family, native to temperate Europe and Asia. It has been introduced to other parts of the world including North America, and in some areas has become invasive. It is also known as common tansy, bitter buttons, cow bitter, or golden buttons.From Wikipedia via iNaturalist — article, CC BY-SA.
Common Tansy by state
| State | Observations | Peak month | Main season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | 392 | August | Jul–Sep |
| Massachusetts | 360 | August | Jul–Sep |
| Maine | 185 | August | Jul–Sep |
| Minnesota | 143 | August | Aug–Sep |
| Oregon | 117 | August | Jul–Sep |
| Vermont | 110 | August | Aug–Sep |
| New Hampshire | 98 | August | Jul–Sep |
| Wisconsin | 92 | August | Jul–Sep |
| Michigan | 76 | August | Jul–Sep |
| New York | 71 | August | Jul–Sep |
| Rhode Island | 55 | August | Jul–Aug |
| Montana | 47 | August | Jul–Sep |
| Idaho | 43 | July | Jul–Oct |
| Pennsylvania | 35 | July | Jul–Sep |
| Illinois | 31 | July | Jul–Aug |
| Ohio | 21 | August | Jul–Sep |
| South Dakota | 18 | August | Jul–Aug |
| New Jersey | 17 | August | Aug–Dec |
| Wyoming | 15 | August | Aug–Sep |
| Colorado | 14 | September | Aug–Sep |
| Connecticut | 10 | August | Jul–Sep |
| North Dakota | 8 | August | Jul–Aug |
| Virginia | 7 | August | Aug–Aug |
| Maryland | 6 | August | Jul–Aug |
| Alaska | 5 | August | Jul–Sep |
Main season = months with at least 30% of the state's peak-month count.
Related wildflowers (Sunflowers, Daisies, Asters, and Allies)
black-eyed Susan
Common Yarrow
White Snakeroot
Chicory
Lawn daisy
Philadelphia fleabane
Pearly Everlasting
Blue Mistflower
Photography tips
- Photograph flowers on calm, overcast mornings to avoid wind blur and harsh shadows.
- Get low: a shallow depth of field (f/2.8–f/5.6) isolates a bloom against soft color.
- Stay on trails — trampling meadows kills plants and ruins next year's display.
- Try a kaleidoscope abstract of a single bloom with our online kaleidoscope tool.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Common Tansy?
Nationally, August has the most observations, with the main season from July to September.
Where is Common Tansy most often seen?
The most observations come from Washington, Massachusetts, Maine.